metodichka_dlya_filos

UNIT 4

PHILOSOPHERS OF THE RENAISSANCE

KEY WORDS

Mnemonics

the art or practice of improving or of aiding the memory; a system of rules to aid the memory

Pantheist

an advocate of the doctrine that God is the transcendent reality of which man, nature, and the material universe are manifestations

Ontology

the branch of metaphysics that deals with the nature of being

Theosophist

any of various religious or philosophical systems claiming to be based on or to express an intuitive insight into the divine nature

Theology

the systematic study of the existence and nature of the divine and its relationship to and influence upon other beings

Superstition

irrational belief usually founded on ignorance or fear and characterized by obsessive reverence for omens, charms, etc.

4.1 GIORDANO BRUNO

Giordano Bruno of Nola (1548-1600) spent his early years in the various cloisters of the Dominican order, including one greatly influenced by Thomas Aquinas. But the young man's dislike of asceticism and penance eventually brought him into conflict with his superiors, and Brother Bruno was obliged to seek refuge in distant lands. Having studied philosophy a la Raymond Lully and Nicolaus Cusanus, he earned his livelihood during his exile by teaching. He specialized in the dubious art of mnemonics and the mysterious Lullian one of solving philosophic problems by manipulating concentric circles inscribed with philosophic concepts. His skill in this led many to suspect him of witchcraft. He also believed in palmistry, in the swearing of the dead, in the healing power of precious stones and magic roots, and in other superstitions of a like kind.

The poet Giordano Bruno is one of the most sympathetic figures in the history of philosophy. He borrowed many of his views from Neoplatonic writings which he mistakenly ascribed to Pythagoras and Empedocles. He put great faith in ibn-Gabirol. He was imbued with

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enthusiasm, for "the infinite," "the one" that penetrates all being and inspires it, the "world-soul" that is the cause, and ruler of all existence.

Bruno's works show that it is a mistake to call Bruno a pure pantheist. All his life he remained a true Catholic and never joined any of the Protestant reform sects that admired him. To the end he strove to return to the fold of the Mother Church. In spite of his poetry and classical learning, it is the personal God who emerges from Bruno's philosophy, the God who had made Rome His capital, the God of the faithful and the superstitious. Yet there was this difference: Bruno was ready to die for his God, while others contrived to make an excellent living out of Him.

I. Practise reading the following words and find the sentences with

II. Answer the questions to the text:

1.How did Bruno’s early life experience influence his views?

2.Did Bruno support all his superiors’ ideas?

3.What outcomes did he face due to his dislike of asceticism and penance?

4.What role did Bruno give to concentric circles when he was solving philosophic problems?

5.What according to Bruno, was meant by ‘the world-soul’?

6.Can this philosopher be called a pure pantheist? Why?

III. Give Ukrainian equivalents for the following wordcombinations:

cloisters of the Dominican order, to dislike penance, to bring smb. into conflict, to seek refuge, to earn one’s living (livelihood), dubious art, concentric circles inscribed with philosophic concepts, to believe in

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palmistry, healing power of precious stones, to ascribe some writings to Pythagoras and Empidocles, to be imbued with enthusiasm, to penetrate all things, to return to the fold of the Mother Church.

IV. Give English equivalents for the following word-combinations:

бути під великим впливом, привести до конфлікту з попередниками, аскетизм і каяття, шукати притулку, заробляти на життя вчителюванням, у період заслання, Бог віруючих і забобонних, помилково приписувати роботи Піфагору та Емпідоклу, стовідсотковий (‘чистий’) пантеїст, вірити у цілющі якості коштовного каміння.

V. Put the words in the following sentences into the correct order:

1.Spent his early years / of the Dominican order / Giordano Bruno / in the various.

2.Because of / Bruno / his conflict / was obliged / with his superiors / in distant lands / to seek refuge.

3.In palmistry / of the dead / in the swearing / he believed / of precious stones / and in the healing power.

4.A pure pantheist / it is / to call Bruno / a mistake.

5.Was ready / Bruno / for his God / to die.

6.A true Catholic / all his life / Bruno / remained.

VI. Find the statement which is given in the text:

1.Brother Bruno was in the exile and earned his living preaching the art of mnemonics.

2.None of the superstitions interested Bruno and he was completely busy with his materialism.

3.He specialized in the dubious art of mnemonics and manipulated with concentric circles having inscriptions of philosophic concepts.

4.Bruno’s faithful behavior did not give any grounds to be disliked by any Catholic Christians.

Being a poet by nature, Giordano Bruno was extremely thankful to God for all his creations, including the capital of the country, Rome.

VII. Find in the text the synonyms / antonyms to the following words and make up your own sentences with them:

Synonyms: various, dispute, remote, to take from smb., to demonstrate.

Antonyms: early, old, to like, to lend, great.

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VIII. Pick up three sentences from the text referring to Giordano

Bruno’s faith into God and write them in the left column. Find in the text three sentences about Bruno’s superstations and write them in the right column.

IX. Prove the following: “Bruno wasn’t a pure pantheism”.

4.2 JAKOB BOHME

There is no unity of opinion regarding the fatherhood of modern speculative philosophy. Three metaphysicians contend for the title: the German shoemaker, Jakob Bohme, the Italian poet, Giordano Bruno; and the French mathematician, Rene Descartes.

By his own confession, Jakob Bohme (1575-1624), in his boyhood suffered from hallucinations which recurred in later years. He relates how he had wandered for seven days in the celestial realm of divine happiness and was able to give a minute description of his experiences there. The sight of a tin vessel brought him to the very “centro” of nature’s secrets. This revelation did not come to him, however, until his head had been turned by the formulas of the theosophists, theologists and astrologers (Paracelsus). Moreover, Bohme had a weakness for the esoteric writings which were anything but scarce in his century; he gave full play to his love of the obscure in a cryptic language.

The essence of his philosophy seems to be a fanatic belief in the three principles of God. That is to say, God expressed Himself under three aspects: the kingdom of hell where the Devil rages as executioner, the kingdom of heaven where the heart of God soothes His wrath, and finally the world of earth. Leaving out the earth, we are confronted with the familiar Biblical landscapes of heaven and hell, which, according to the Apocalypse, emanate from the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and are each divided into three parts, plus a mediary substance, fire.

It is entirely in man's hands whether he goes to the heavenly kingdom or to hell. After death the soul cannot change its fate, which has been determined in this world. And while bad souls are tortured by evil spirits in the chambers of suffering, good souls fly blissfully heavenward without the remotest concern for those delivered to the Devil; that problem is left to the angels who are engaged in constant war with him. On the day of resurrection, the good souls will be rewarded with bliss, while the evil souls and devils will be punished.

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In accounting for the creation, Bohme leans on both the Torah and the famous astrologer, alchemist and miracle-worker, Paracelsus (ca. 1493-1541). On the third day of creation, the fire of lightning awakened the seven spirits. The powers of the seven spirits are invested in the stars. The task of these spirits is the creation of man.

Bohme’s search for a “primal ground,” “the kingdom of light,” and other abstract beings force one to relate him to Cabbalistic writings.

I. Practise reading the following words and find the sentences with

II. Answer the questions to the text:

1.What opinions exist as to the origin of modern speculative philosophy?

2.Why are Bohme’s descriptions of his travels in the celestial realm touched by his hallucination experiences?

3.What object brought Bohme to the very centre of nature’s secrets?

When did it occur to him and under what influence?

4.Was Bohme pleased to deal with the esoteric writing?

5.What principles of God did Bohme express?

6.Whom did he place to act in each kingdom?

7.What Holly Trinity did Bohme confess?

8.How is a man responsible for his future fate?

III. Give Ukrainian equivalents for the following wordcombinations:

modern speculative philosophy, to suffer from hallucinations, to wander in the celestial realm of divine happiness, to give a minute description of one’s experience, a weakness of the esoteric writings, the kingdom of hell where the Davil rages as executor, the kingdom of heaven

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where the heart of God soothes his wrath, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, to be tortured by evil spirits, to fly blissfully heavenward, to be engaged in a constant war.

IV. Give English equivalents for the following word-combinations:

сучасна спекулятивна філософія, страждати від галюцінацій, мандрувати протягом 7 днів, Апокаліпсис, формули теософів, теологів та астрологів, мати слабкість до езотеричних текстів, уподобання до незрозумілого у криптичній мові, фанатична віра у три принципи Бога, відомі біблійні пейзажі Царствія Божого, вогонь – це посередницька субстанція, доля душі де термінується у цьому світі – на Землі, янголи ведуть постійну боротьбу з Дияволом, спиратися на вчення алхіміка Парацельса і на Тору, відносити роботу вченого до кабалістичних робіт.

V. Put the words in the following sentences into the correct order:

1.The German shoemaker / and the French mathematician / Jakob Bohme / three metaphysicians / the Italian poet / Rene Descartes / Giordano Bruno / contend for the title.

2.Full play / of the obscure / Bohme / to his love / gave inn a cryptic language.

3.In the three / the essence / seems to be / of his philosophy / a fanatic belief / principles of God.

4.In man’s hands / he goes to the heavenly kingdom / it is entirely / whether / or to hell.

5.The good souls / with bliss / will be rewarded / on the day of resurrection.

6.The seven spirits / day of creation / the fire of lightning / on the third / awakened.

7.In the stars / are invested / of the seven spirits / the powers.

VI. Find in the text the information about the future of good and bad souls, write it in 2 columns and explain why Bohme noted: “After death the soul cannot change its fate”.

VII. Explain what ‘sacred numbers’ Bohme referred to in his writings and with whom or what they were associated.

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4.3 NICOLAUS CUSANUS

Nicolaus Cusanus, or Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1448), pope’s legate and later cardinal, was no friend of the Scholastic method as practiced by the “rationalists.” Inclined rather to a Platonizing philosophy, he was influenced by Erigena.” Nicholas of Cusa was noted for his deeply mystical writings about Christianity, particularly on the possibility of knowing God with the divine human mind — not possible through mere human means — via "learned ignorance". His most complete set of proposals about what is real occurs in his best-known work of 1440, De docta ignorantia: Doctrine of Ignorance. Here Cusanus addresses the four categorical realities traditionally found in Christian thought: God, the natural universe, Christ and human beings. This major work devotes its first book to God, the second to the universe and the third to the God-man, Jesus Christ. This book does not distinguish philosophy and theology as contemporary thinkers might, but unites them in a single overview of Neoplatonic Christian reality. There he attempted to show the weakness of natural reason, in order to defend the “conscious ignorance” of the faithful.

His works, needless to say, earned wide popular acclaim. Some historians have called him a pantheist, but Cusanus considered the world a reflection of God, unquestionably created by Him. His distinction between God, visible world and individual things is found later in Cartesian and clarified in Spinozaistic philosophy. Cardinal Cusanus conceded divine attributes to the Logos, but with limitations. For instance, whereas he called God

“infinite,” he called the Logos “without end”; and whereas God was “eternal,” the Logos was “non-temporal”.

Nicholas of Cusa does not neatly divide ontology from epistemology any more than he separates faith and reason, so it seems fitting that his ideas on human knowing emphasize the metaphor of mind as measure. This becomes the significant way that human minds are images of the divine mind.

I. Practise reading the following words and find the sentences with

II. Answer the questions to the text:

1.What rank did Nicholas of Cusa occupy in the Catholic Church?

2.Did Nicolaus Cusanus combine in his doctrine any human qualities with the divine ones? In whom did he ‘notice’ such a unique combination?

3.How many categorical realities did he define? What are they?

4.Did Cusanus’ ideas find their reflection in the composition and contest of Doctrine of ignorance? Prove it.

5.What was the historian’s reaction on Cusanus’ works?

III. Give Ukrainian equivalents for the following wordcombinations:

divine human mind, to earn a wide acclaim, learned and conscious ignorance, to distinguish philosophy and theology, weakness of natural reason’s, the world unquestionably created by God, the Logos is nontemporal, human mind is a measure in the process of cognition.

IV. Give English equivalents for the following word-combinations:

раціоналісти практикували схоластичний метод, глибоко містичні роботи про християнство, чотири категоріальні реальності, слабкість природного розуму, свідома неосвіченість, пізнання Бога, віра та здоровий глузд, передавати божественні атрибути Логосу, Бог вічний, а Логос позачасовий, набути широке схвалення з боку сучасників, не відокремлювати онтологію від епістемології, розум людини – це відбиток божественного розуму.

V. Complete the sentences according to the text:

1.Nicolas Cusanus was no friend…

2.This philosopher (Cusanus) was noted for…

3.In the Doctrine of Ignorance Cusanus gave the most complete…

4.The four categorical realities in Christian thought are…

5.In order to defend the ‘conscious ignorance’ Nicolas Cusanus attemped to show…

6.Cusanus considered the world…

7.Divine attributes were conceded by Cusanus to…

8.The Logos was ‘nontemporal’ because… … ‘without end’.

9.This philosopher doesn’t neatly…

10.According to Cusanus human minds…

VI. Find in the text the synonyms / antonyms to the following

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words and make up your own sentences with them:

Synonyms: to finish, to happen, to dedicate, to combine, to demonstrate.

Antonyms: friend, impossibility, shallow, knowledge, the last, narrow.

VII. Decide whether the following sentences are true or false:

1.Cusanus didn’t experience any influence on the part Erigena.

2.The Scholastic method found its continuation in Cusanus’ theories.

3.The book Doctrine of Ignorance is the complete set of the scientist’s ideas.

4.Cusanus addresses the four categorical realities: God, the natural universe, Christ and created humans.

5.The faithful prople possess the so-called ‘conscious ignorance’.

6.Nicolas Cusanus was one of the most talented philosophers who distinguished between God, visible world and individual things.

7.According to Cusanus God was infinite.

VIII. Prepare a brief retelling of the text according to the following

plan:

1.Nicolas Cusanus and the previous philosophers.

2.Cusanus mystical writings about knowing God.

3.The basic categorical realities of Doctrine of Ignorance.

4.The weakness of natural reason.

5.The difference between ‘God’ and ‘Logos’.

6.Cusanus influence on his contemporaries.

REVISION

I. Read the following text and summarize the previous information:

The designation "Renaissance philosophy" is used by scholars of intellectual history to refer to the thought of the period running in Europe roughly between 1350 and 1650. The medieval philosophy was influenced by notable figures such as, Thomas Aquinas, William of Ockham, and Marsilius of Padua, and early modern philosophy, which conventionally starts with René Descartes and his publication of the Discourse on Method in 1637. Philosophers usually divide the period less finely, jumping from medieval to early modern philosophy, on the assumption that no radical shifts in perspective took place in the centuries immediately before Descartes. Intellectual historians, however, take into considerations factors such as sources, approaches, audience, language, and literary genres in addition to ideas.

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II. Find the correct variant:

1. …specialized in the dubious art of mnemonics and the mysterious

Lullian one of solving philosophic problems by manipulating concentric circles inscribed with philosophic concepts.

4. The designation "Renaissance philosophy" is used by scholars of intellectual history to refer to the thought of the period running in Europe

III. The word ‘superstition’ means:

a)news containing facts;

b)the subject of discussion;

c)ability of the person to see or to be seen from a particular sight;

d)irrational belief usually founded on ignorance or fear and characterized by obsessive reverence for omens, charms, etc.

IV. Which of the Renaissance philosophers did not neatly divide ontology from epistemology any more than he separated faith and reason?

a)Nicholas of Cusa;

b)Jacob Bohme;

c)Giordano Bruno;

d)Thomas More.

V. Get ready to speak about one of the Renaissance philosophers.

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